License change made XFree86 GPL-incompatible. Every major distro and OpenBSD switched. XFree86's last commit: 2009.
The X Window System provides the fundamental framework for graphical user interfaces on Unix-like systems—handling display, input devices, and window management. XFree86/X.Org implements the X11 protocol, which separates the display server from applications, allowing remote display and modular desktop environments.
XFree86 had been the dominant X Window System implementation for Linux and BSD systems since the early 1990s, but by the early 2000s, its governance was becoming a problem. The project was controlled by a small 'Core Team' of 16 people, 7 of whom also sat on the board of directors. Development happened behind closed doors—the CVS repository and mailing lists were not publicly accessible. It was open source in license but cathedral in practice.
The drama escalated in 2003 when Keith Packard, one of the most prolific X developers, committed his XFIXES extension just before a feature freeze without prior review. The Core Team stripped his commit access and eventually expelled him entirely, claiming he was secretly plotting a fork. Packard responded by creating xwin.org as a gathering point for disaffected developers. The first fork attempt, Xouvert, launched in August 2003 but fizzled quickly.
Then David Dawes, XFree86's president, dropped the real bombshell. In January 2004, he announced XFree86 License 1.1, adding a credit clause requiring all binary distributions to acknowledge the XFree86 Project in their documentation. The Free Software Foundation declared it GPL-incompatible. Richard Stallman and Theo de Raadt both condemned the move. It was the licensing equivalent of setting your own house on fire.
The X.Org Foundation formed rapidly, forking from XFree86 4.4 RC2 (before the license change took effect) and merging in X11R6.6 changes. By April 2004, X11R6.7 was released, and Linux distributions raced to switch. Fedora, Debian, OpenBSD—everyone jumped ship. Keith Packard found a new home, and X.Org introduced modular development that made the codebase far more maintainable.
XFree86 made its last commit in 2009. It's one of the cleanest fork victories in open source history: bad governance plus bad licensing equals total project death.
Keith Packard's commit access revoked after XFIXES controversy
Keith Packard expelled from XFree86 Core Team
Packard creates xwin.org as fork staging ground
Xouvert fork announced (dies within months)
David Dawes announces XFree86 License 1.1 with credit clause
XFree86 4.4 released under GPL-incompatible license
X.Org Foundation releases X11R6.7, forked from pre-license-change code
Major Linux distributions switch from XFree86 to X.Org
XFree86 makes its last commit
X.Org became the universal X Window System implementation, shipping on virtually every Linux distribution and BSD system. The fork also catalyzed a modernization of X development: the modular build system made contributions easier, and the project eventually became the foundation for work on Wayland, its eventual successor.
The XFree86 debacle became a cautionary tale about licensing changes in established open source projects. It proved that even a dominant, decades-old project can die in months if it loses community trust.